---
title: "Ángela Russo Wins Panama’s Top Human Rights Ombudsman Post"
date: 2026-04-09
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/angela-russo-panama-ombudsman/
categories:
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "Ángela Russo"
  - "Defensor del Pueblo"
  - "human rights"
  - "National Assembly"
  - "Panama"
---

# Ángela Russo Wins Panama’s Top Human Rights Ombudsman Post

## What Happened

Panama’s National Assembly chose lawyer Ángela Russo as the country’s new Defensor of the People with 37 votes in plenary session. Russo, a Panamanian attorney with experience in procedural and family law, was also described as having extensive legal background from her time as a former magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice.

Her nomination was presented by Shirley Castañeda, a deputy from the Realizando Metas caucus, who highlighted Russo’s professional record and said she was fit to oversee the protection of citizens’ rights.

## The Competing Nominations

Other lawmakers also backed contenders for the post. The mixed, Vamos, and PRD caucuses nominated Rodrigo García Rodríguez, a lawyer with 20 years of experience in human rights and knowledge of the office’s work. Deputy José Pérez Barboni said García met the six legal requirements for the role and understood how the ombudsman institution operates.

A third nomination came from Jairo Salazar, who put forward lawyer Gissel Emiliani Duque of Colón province. Salazar praised her work plan and said it matched the realities facing Panamanians and the need to protect human rights.

## Why the Appointment Matters

The Defensoría del Pueblo plays a central role in Panama’s public life by receiving complaints, monitoring state conduct, and promoting respect for human rights. The office is now operating under a modern law that gives it stronger coercive power to resolve extrajudicial conflicts between the state and citizens.

Russo becomes the ninth Ombudsman since the institution was created in 1997. Her election places her at the head of an office that often serves as a bridge between residents and public authorities, especially in cases involving alleged rights violations or administrative disputes.

## Political and Institutional Context

The vote took place in a sovereign plenary session, reflecting the Assembly’s authority over the selection of the country’s human rights defender. The appointment comes at a time when Panama’s institutions continue to face pressure to respond effectively to citizen complaints and enforce public accountability.

With a legal background that includes work in procedural and family law as well as service in the Supreme Court, Russo enters the post with experience that supporters say can help strengthen the office’s response to cases involving the public and the state.